When we start the engines in our car every morning, one of the first things we hope and pray against is a car crash. Forget all the insurance hassles; car accidents can come with serious, lifelong ramifications.
If you’re new to the road and want to know all the ins and outs of being a defensive driver, then one thing you may wonder is what happens after a car accident. Well, there are a few key factors.
After checking for injuries, you want to try to move to a safer location if your car is operational. Once you’re in a secure spot, it’s all about paperwork and phone calls. Today, we’d like to give you a leg up on all the legwork by walking you through what happens after a car accident.
1. Check for Injuries
First, check the passengers in your car. Make sure everyone is okay, yourself included. Sometimes, after an accident, a person’s adrenaline is pumping so fast they don’t realize that they’ve been injured.
Give everyone a good once over before you exit the vehicle. When you first stand up, take it slow and try to hold onto something. You want to try and ward off any dizzy spells or other complications from too much adrenaline.
2. Move to a Safer Area & Check the Other Party
If no one in your vehicle appears to be in critical condition and your car is still operational, move to a safer area. Believe it or not, some of the most horrific accidents happen when other cars don’t see an accident on the road and plow right into it, creating a bigger disaster.
Once you feel like you’re safe and secure, you can walk over to the other vehicle and take a look from a safe distance. Don’t touch anyone or anything, but look around to see if anyone is seriously injured. Make sure everyone is okay before you call the authorities.
3. Call 911
Of course, the moment you notice an injury, it’s time to call 911. However, even if this was a small accident, it’s always best to call the police. While you wait for the police to arrive, gather the other driver’s information. Write down the make, model, and license plate of the other vehicle. Ask the driver for their name and contact information.
In today’s world, you can’t trust people to be honest, and you’ll want the authorities to come out to the scene and document what happened. Also, a police report will be helpful when going through insurance claims, so it’s best to put those wheels in motion right away.
4. Look for Witnesses & Document the Scene
While you wait for the police, take a look around to see if there were any witnesses. Again, when going through insurance, witnesses will work in your favor. Ask them if they’d be willing to share their names and phone numbers so your insurance company can contact them to verify the details of the accident.
Continue gathering information by documenting the scene. Take a lot of photographs of the vehicles in their existing condition. Photograph tire marks to indicate the direction in which the cars spun out. Also, snap pictures of any damage to surrounding structures, like telephone poles or guard rails.
5. Call Your Insurance Company
Once you’re back home, the next important phone call will be to your insurance company. It doesn’t matter who was at fault. It’s important to notify the company that the vehicle they’re insuring has been involved in an accident.
Even if you’re expecting the other company to pay for damages, there are still many things your insurance company can do for you. They might be able to cover the cost of a rental car, as well as other out-of-pocket expenses. If, for example, you had to call an Uber to get home, your insurance company may reimburse you for that.
Don’t Be Afraid to Seek Help
Your first car accident can be very traumatic. Don’t be afraid to seek help. Talk to friends and family who have been through a similar ordeal. If you need to seek counseling to be able to get back behind the wheel of your next car with confidence, then do it.
For most of us, a car isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity to get to and from work. Make sure you do everything you can to return to a place of safety and confidence in your mind before driving again.
If you feel like your insurance company isn’t doing enough to help you recover damages, then you might want to type “car accident attorney near me” straight into Google. With the right lawyer on your side, you can get back up on your feet in no time at all.
You Can Get Past a Car Crash
A car crash can stay on your mind for quite some time. Few things in life are as awful as the initial clang and crash of metal on metal. Just be thankful that, if you’re here reading this article, you’ve made it through the worst.
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